A component placement unit for placing a component on a substrate, which component placement unit comprises at least one nozzle which is rotatable about a central axis, by means of which a component can be picked up and placed on the substrate. The component placement unit further comprises at least one sensor for determining the orientation of the component relative to the nozzle. At least one optical element is disposed between said sensor and said nozzle. A first focus plane of the optical element at least substantially coincides with the central axis of the nozzle, whilst a second focus plane substantially coincides with the sensor, wherein an image produced by means of the sensor is a contour image of the component.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A component placement unit for placing a component on a substrate, which component placement unit comprises: at least one nozzle which is rotatable about a central axis and configured to pick up and place the component on the substrate; and an imaging device including: at least one sensor for determining an orientation of the component relative to the nozzle, and at least one optical element disposed in a light path between said sensor and said nozzle, wherein a first part of a first focus plane of the optical element extends parallel to the central axis of the nozzle and is positioned so that the central axis of the nozzle lies in the first part of the first focus plane, the first part of the first focus plane extends transversely to the substrate, wherein a second part of the first focus plane extends parallel to the substrate and is positioned so that the substrate lies in the second part of the first focus plane, the substrate extends transversely to the central axis, wherein a second focus plane of the optical element substantially coincides with the sensor so that the sensor lies in the second focus plane, and wherein an image produced by using the sensor is a contour image of the component, wherein an image of at least a part of the substrate can be produced by using the sensor as well.
2. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the optical axis of the optical element extends parallel to the central axis of the nozzle, with a deflection element being disposed between the optical element and the central axis and configured to image on the sensor at least one contour of the component picked up by the nozzle.
3. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element is telecentric.
4. A component placement unit according to claim 3 , wherein the optical element is provided with telecentric enlarging optics.
5. A component placement unit according to claim 4 , wherein the telecentric enlarging optics comprise at least one of cylindrical and spherical lenses.
6. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein a two-dimensional image of the component can be produced by using the sensor.
7. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the component placement unit comprises a light source which is located on a side of the first part of the first focus plane remote from the sensor.
8. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the optical axis of the optical element and the central axis intersect.
9. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the optical axis of the optical element and the central axis cross.
10. A component placement device comprising at least one substrate feed-in and feed-out device, at least one component feeder, and at least one component placement unit according to claim 1 .
11. A component placement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is configured such that no part of the imaging device is disposed between the nozzle and the substrate.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 29, 2007
May 17, 2011
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.